Zevanya
Carrie Hall
1101-D355
March 10 2019
The Other Side
In 2010, my family and I moved to the capital city of Indonesia also known as Jakarta. Indonesia is known to be “the world’s largest island country as well as the most populous Muslim-majority country.” (Wikipedia) After living in Indonesia for the past eight years and coming back to my original hometown, New York, I realized so many differences in terms of culture, beliefs and the society. I attended a private international school back in Jakarta and spent most of my childhood and teenage years as an Indonesian. Whenever my friends asked me if I considered myself as an Indonesia or an American I would always say that I’m Indonesian American. They always teased me that I don’t even know my own ethnicity because I was basically raised more in Indonesia than I was in the U.S so I SHOULD acknowledge myself as an Indonesian only. I found it frustrating at times because who gave them the right to categorize what I am base on THEIR point of view.
This is where my story or may I say, our story began as Indonesians that are perceived a certain way by most people. Around a year ago, I was in a car with my best friend, her parents and her parents’ friend (Tante T). We were on our way to a teacher’s wedding reception when we stumbled upon a homeless person on the street asking for change. I clearly remember her parent’s friend said, “tuh kan karena orang-orang inilah negara Indonesia enggak maju. Yah boleh dibilang sampah-masyarakat kita la” (this is why Indonesia never improve economic wise, it’s because of these poor people. I guess you can say, they’re basically our society’s trash) I was fueled with so much anger and annoyance because do you think they wanted to be poor? Are you saying that just because YOU’RE MORE PRIVILEGED you have the right to talk down at them? Have you ever tried to understand them instead of blaming them? I wanted to ask her all of these questions so eagerly but it was considered very disrespectful to talk back at elders and they would say how “young people’s” opinions are invalid because they are young and reckless.
When I first heard the word “sampah masyarakat” I never really understood if it was just referring to the homeless people or were there more communities under this category. I then brought up this word to my mom and asked her what it truly meant. She said that it indirectly means outcasts or in direct translation society’s trash. She then started to explain how in Indonesia it wasn’t just the homeless but prostitutes and children out of wedlock(anak di luar nikah) as well. I would be lying if I say I have no problem with young females or males becoming prostitutes but behind every title, there’s a story. A story that not many know or care to know because a majority of Indonesians judge you from the outside either way.
In the article “The Two main Causes of Poverty in Indonesia and the Need for Further Progress” by The Borgen Project, states that corruption and unstable food prices, especially rice, plays an enormous role on poverty. “According to the Global Corruption Barometer’s report in 2017, 25 percent of Indonesians reported having paid a bribe to obtain identification documents…” (Project, 2017, p. 3) Also, “food prices in Indonesia are difficult to be handled for two reasons: First, Indonesia has significantly low farm productivity because of the outdated technology and a lack of progress in new crop development. Second, Indonesia cannot immediately accept more imports if there is a shortage of food supplies.” (Project, 2017, p. 4).
Is it possible for ‘Tante T’ and every other Indonesian to understand the REAL reason behind our poverty? In fact, the homeless people are the victims, not the cause.
Not only are the homeless people victims but so are prostitutes. As I’ve mentioned earlier, most citizens of Indonesia are Muslim and the remaining population is either Christian, Catholic, Buddhist or Hindu. In other words, Indonesia is a very religious country which is what makes it so diverse but how is it possible for a country that implements numerous norms and values have prostitution as the most grossing career? According to Pomchertchoo, “it becomes clear that poverty remains a key driver that leads individuals and even families into prostitution.” (p. 10)
Works Cited
Promchertchoo, Pichayada. “Indonesia’s Sex Trade ‘Impossible’ to Shut Down.” Channel NewsAsia, 27 Aug. 2018, www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/indonesia-s-sex-trade–impossible–to-shut-down-8009820?cid=youtube_cna_social_29012018_cna.
Project, The Borgen. “The Two Main Causes of Poverty in Indonesia and the Need for Further Progress.” BORGEN, 3 Aug. 2017, www.borgenmagazine.com/causes-of-poverty-in-indonesia/.
“Indonesia.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia.
